The Hidden Power of Smiling

Smiling can help you live longer and with lower stress. Smile and have a great weekend.

The Colour Clock

Unsure what time it is? Check of this website that displays your current time in hexadecimal color value. The colorful site also has a screensaver for fellow Mac users that you can download. Brighten your life and stay on schedule.

Eames Chair

Enjoy this archival video on how an Eames shell chair is build. The film show how a simple form becomes a design classic.

Illustrated Type - Gallery Nucleus

Gallery Nucleus has an outstanding show of Illustrated Type running through June 6th at 210 East Main St, Alhambra CA. The show features work by Ed Fella, Jessica Hische, and Takashi Iwasaki among others. So if you are here in the LA area click here to get further info on hours or to make a purchase online.

Yosemite National Park, a visit

A visit to Yosemite National Park (@YosemiteNPS) is a pleasure at anytime of the year but Spring brings not only Dogwoods blooming but falls that overflow with the Spring melt. Yosemite National Park is one of America's greatest parks and showcases the beauty of the country. Surrounded by granite cliffs and formations formed over the ages, your breath is taken away upon entering the majestic valley. A trip to Yosemite will refresh and inspire your soul. You start by getting everyday life to float away on a mountain stream. Soon you can smell the fresh pines, hear the falls thundering and feel the breath of mist on your face. Now you are in Yosemite. You gaze up high as you round a corner on a trail and see Yosemite Falls peaking through the branches and glance below to see a delicate mountain flower pink with delight. This is Yosemite, a place of beauty, life and wonder. I awoke the next morning to a Spring snow on the valley floor and cliffs dusted with beauty. This place has inspired over the years and the naturist John Muir spoke of this place of wonder and peace,

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

Come experience this wonderful cathedral of nature, a place of such wonder that you will dream and understand what really is important in life.

Learn more and plan your visit to Yosemite National Park at this link. Words and images can not explain her beauty, it must be experienced for oneself.

instagr.am

The quality of iphone photography is growing leaps and bounds on a daily basis. One of the leaders is a great fun and free app instagr.am. instagr.am is a combination of photography program that lets you add several filters and effects to your photos and social meet up. You can download the app from the iTune store and get started right away. The app suggest followers from you twitter and facebook so you can see what your friends are shooting. The app allows you to upload to your Flickr and link to twitter. You can follow me @danielgross and I look forward to seeing your creative photography soon.

What is Your Camera Setup?

I found this interesting set of post that asked photographers "what is your camera setup of choice and why?" There are two parts, Part 1 and Part 2, to gain an understanding and inspiration.

(via NotCot.org)

F*ck You. Pay Me.

2011/03 Mike Monteiro | F*ck You. Pay Me. from SanFrancisco/CreativeMornings on Vimeo.

Enjoy and learn from this informative video from the CreativeMorning - San Francisco talk by Mike Monteiro of Mule Design Studio. Now go out and do some work so you can get paid.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Wishing you a happy Cinco de Mayo.

Shot Heard Around The World

Today, April 19th in 1775 was the start of military engagements between American colonial troops and the British. The Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts started the Revolutionary War for the USA with the "shot heard around the world".

Happy Passover 2011

I would like to wish all a Happy Passover. Now pass that matzos my way and don't forget the butter and honey.

Funny Animals Talking - BBC

Enjoy that it is finally Friday with this funny video by the BBC. Have a great weekend!

Michael Bierut Talks Logo

The logo of Miami's New World Symphony is discussed by Michael Bierut in this video from The Atlantic Magazine. The symphony moved into a new building designed by Frank Gehry, and Michael tells us how Gehry's drawings and the movement of a conductor's baton developed into the logo.

Also of related interest on The Atlantic website are a 13 more stories on how the creative spark of ideas comes about titled "How Genius Works". Included are stories of Chuck Close, Paul Simon, Tim Burton, and Frank Gehry among other.

The greatest TED Talk - Morgan Spurlock

You will totally enjoy this funny and informative TED talk by Morgan Spurlock. Morgan talks about advertising and marketing also with his new film that is coming out. Sit back and enjoy another great TED video.

Hidden History - Lincoln's Watch

On April 12, 1861, President Lincoln was having his watch repaired. This day also marked the start of the Civil War. When the watchmaker Jonathan Dillon heard of this momentous event, he inscribed a message into Lincoln's pocket watch as he repaired it. The story of the inscription was passed down over the years in the Dillon family but was never confirmed until the Smithsonian's National Museum of America History decided to open Lincoln's pocket watch. Watch the video above and see how history was discovered nearly 150 years later and read the blog post at the great O Say Can You See?

The Civil War - 150 Years Later

The American Civil War started at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.

Decades of growing strife between North and South erupted in civil war on April 12, 1861, when Confederate artillery opened fire on this Federal fort in Charleston Harbor. Fort Sumter surrendered 34 hours later. Union forces would try for nearly four years to take it back.

The Library of Congress put up an excellent online exhibit "The Last Full Measure: Civil War Photographs from the Liljenquist Family Collection" today. Well worth the time to see these amazing portraits.

The USPS also has issued two stamps to mark this anniversary of the Civil War. A big thumbs up to the USPS for moving to the "First Class Forever" stamps. I am still looking around for 2 cent stamps from the last postage increase.

Red Storm Rising - Soviet Art

Today marks 50 years since a man first went into space. On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin took off aboard the Vostok 3KA-3 rocket and became the first man to enter space and to orbit the earth. The USSR made it to space first.

The USSR was proud of their state and its accomplishments such as Yuri's trip to space. The Soviet era brought about a great period of poster/propaganda art. This design style has become symbolic of the times and was inspired by the times. To read further on Soviet Art check out this link.

Here is to 50 more years of space exploration and all the good that comes out such programs.

1000 Words - Paul Thompson Photographs

To promote the photographer, Paul Thompson, a creative ad campaign was produced describing his photos only in words and a 1000 words only. You see, a photo is worth a thousand words. Read the complete story at Creative Review UK and see Paul Thompson's work at his website.

(Via Ace Jet 170)

Saul Bass Posters

Saul Bass is one of the great ones when it comes to poster designs. Take a look at this collection that was on exhibit in London recently devoted to Saul Bass' poster designs and storyboards showing his process.

Homes of The Stars

The LA Times Magazine has put together this collection of 50 vintage postcards of the "Homes of the Stars." It is a nice collection vintage images and architecture. To see all of the 50 postcards, go to this link and pick out your dream house.

Flags and More Flags

In the need of a flag logo or button? If so you will have to check out this link to several sites that offer flag images and logos.